Welt supporting form



Oct. 29, 1935. s. FERRI 2,019,405

WELT SUPPORTING FORM Filed Aug. 16, 1954 Ill Patented Oct. 29, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

The invention relates to a welt supporting form for use in the manufacture of shoes.

One of the difiiculties which shoe manufacturers have been striving to overcome when applying cement and the'outer sole to. a shoe is that the edges of the welt which extend beyond the last are apt to remain loose and do not always adhere firmly to the outer sole for the reason there is nothing on the side or face of the welt opposite that to which the outer sole is applied in opposition to the pressure applied to. the outer face of the outer sole in the sole laying operation.

The object of the present invention is to pro.- vide a simple, practical and comparatively inexaf pensive welt supporting form of strong and durable construction adapted to be readily applied to and removed from a shoe and capable when in position on a shoe of supporting the projecting portions of a welt and of affording a firm support for the same during the sole laying operation when the outer sole is cemented to the shoe and the welt and when pressure is applied to the outer face of the outer sole during such operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a welt supporting form of this character adapted to be firmly applied to. and rigidly clamped on a shoe and capable of lateral adjustment to vary the width of the welt supporting form whereby a single welt supporting form may be applied to shoes of a plurality of widths of the same length.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a welt supporting form constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the welt supporting form showing the same applied to a shoe, the latter being illustrated in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1, the last supporting form being applied to a shoe.

Fig. 5 is a similar view on the line 5.5-of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional View illustrating another form of device for maintaining the welt supporting form in clamping engagement with a shoe.

Fig. 7 is a rear view of the welt supporting form illustrating the preferred form of latch or lock- 5 ing device for maintaining the welt supporting form in clamping engagement with a shoe.

In the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment. of the invention 1 designates. a welt supporting form consisting 10. of a, single piece continuous band of steel or other suitable metal of a shape to conform to. and extend entirely around a shoe 2 and composed of inner and outer sides. 3 and 4 and an integral front connecting portion 5. The inner and outer 1:5. sides are provided at the instep portions of the shoe with inwardly curved approximately arcuate intermediate portions 6 and l, the inner arcuate intermediate portion being laterally inclined to fit the adjacent portions of the shoe 2. Theintero. mediate arcuate portions are maintained in their curved form by exteriorly arranged straight, longitudinally disposed bridge members 8 and 9 and struts Ill and II.

The bridge member 8 at the inner side, of the 5 welt supporting form is laterally inclined, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5. of the drawing and the strut I0 which is preferably of tubular form is suitably secured atv its ends to the bridge member and to the inner side of the welt 30. supporting form by any suitable, means such as welding. Instead of employing a tubular centrally arranged strut ill a strut of any other suitable form may of course be provided for connecting and bracing the bridge member 8 and 35: the inwardly curved arcuate portion 6.

The bridge member 9 which is also set at a slight lateral inclination is connected intermediate of its ends with a central portion of the curved arcuate portion l by the said strut H 40, which is preferably oblong, as shown. The strut member llv is suitably secured at its. inner and outer portions to the curved portion '1 of the welt supporting form and to the bridge member. Welding or any other suitable means: may be 45' employed for this purpose. I

The weld supporting form which is preferably applied to the shoe 2 while the latter is in an inverted position as illustrated in Fig. 2 ofthe drawing is provided at its upper edge with an 50, inwardly projecting lip or flange l2 which fits in the crease formed by the projecting portion of the welt and the adjacent portion of the upper of the shoe as clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing. The projecting lip or marginal 55.

portion [2 increases the area of the surface at the upper edge of the welt supporting form and provides a relatively broad surface for supporting the portion of the welt which projects beyond the last l3 and the welt is firmly and rigidly supported in position while the outer sole I4 is cemented to the shoe and the welt during the sole laying operation. While it is customary in the manufacture of shoes to support the shoe in an inverted position as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, the shoe while arranged on a last may be supported in any other suitable position and it will support the welt at the opposite side to that at which the outer sole is cemented to the welt and the pressure applied in such operation. The projecting flange which is beveled to fit the shoe at the said "crease l5 thereof extends substantially entirely around the shoe and throughout the entire length of the welt which terminates at the heel portion of the shoe in the usual manner.

The terminals of the inner and outer sides of the welt supporting form are spaced apart at the rear end of the form at the heel portion of the shoe which is not cemented and the space between the rear terminals of the sides of the welt supporting form may be wide or narrow as required or desired because the cement is not appliedto the heel of the shoe as it is to. the sole of the shoe. The spacing of the rearterminals of the sides provides for a lateral adjustment of the Iwelt supporting form to adapt the form to a plurality of widths of shoes of the same length and this lateral adjustment is effected through the resiliency of the continuous strip or band of metal of which the welt supporting form is constructed.

Any suitable means may be employed for maintaining the welt supporting form in clamping engagement with a shoe. In Fig. l of the drawing is illustrated the simplest form of adjusting and clamping meanswhich consists of a bolt lfihaving a head I1 at one end and a-nut [8 at the other end. The bolt is passed through aligned openings [9 in outturned terminals" 20 and 2| of the sides of the welt supporting form.

The rear ends of the inner and outer sides" of the welt supporting form are extended in substantial parallelism as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing and are connected by the said bolt IS, a washer 22 being preferably interposed between the nut and the adjacent terminal 2| of the outer side of the welt supporting form.

In Fig. 6 of the drawing is illustrated-another form of device for maintaining the welt supporting form in clamping engagement with a shoe. The inner and outer sides of the welt supporting form are extended at their rear ends to provide projecting terminal portions 23 and 24 which are connected by a pivoted bolt 25 arranged in bifurcations 26 and 21 of the terminal 7 portions 23 and 24. The bolt or screw 25 is provided at one end with an eye 21 to receive a pivot 28 which pivots the bolt in the bifurcation 26. The bolt is adapted to be swung into and out of the other bifurcation 21 and it is provided with a thumb nut 29 by means of which the sides of the welt supporting form may be drawn into tight clamping engagement with a shoe and which will also enable the bolt to be loosened sufi'iciently to be swung readily 'out of the bifurcation 21 for detaching the welt supporting form from a shoe.

In Fig. 7 of the drawing is illustrated the preferred form of latch or locking device for holding the welt supporting form in clamping engagement with a shoe. The sides of the welt supporting form are provided at their rear ends with depending substantially vertically disposed lugs 3| and 32 formed integral with the sides of 5 the welt supporting form and extending downwardly from the rear ends of the said sides of the welt supporting form at the outer faces of the same. The lug 3| is provided at the lower end or terminal portion with a transverse slot 10 or bifurcation 33 in which is pivoted by a pin or rivet 34 an approximately U-shaped yoke 35. The yoke 35 is adapted to be swung over or around the other lug 32 and the free side of the yoke is provided with a clamping screw 36 15 threaded into an opening 31 in the free side of the yoke and arranged to engage the lug 32 when the yoke is swung over or around the same. The clamping screw 36 which is provided with a winged or other shaped head is adapted to be 20 rotated to clamp the welt supporting form on the shoe as tightly as desired. Also when the screw is loosened the latch may be readily swung out of engagement with the lug 32 to enable the welt supporting form to be quickly removed from 25 one shoe and applied to another. I

By this construction the welt supporting form may be readily applied to and removed from a shoe and in practice any other suitable means may be employed for holding the welt supporting 30 form detachably in clamping engagement with a shoe with the welt supporting surface in position for supporting the welt during the sole laying operation.

In order to assist in maintaining the welt supporting form firmly and rigidly in position on the shoe the welt supporting form is provided at its rear portion with a curved shoe engaging member 30 consisting of a plate of sheet metal or other suitable material extending from the welt 40 supporting form and arranged perpendicular to the same at. the rear end thereof and'adapted to fit against the heel portion of the shoe, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing. The curved plate 30 is preferably tapered as shown 45 to fit the curvature of the shoe at the heel portion thereof and it is welded or otherwise secured to the weltsupporting form at one side thereof and is arranged in overlapping relation with and unconnected with the other side of the form so 50 asnot to interfere with the lateral adjustment of the formto fitshoe s of diiferent widths.

When the Welt supporting form is fitted in operative position against the shoe as shown in the drawing the curved plate 30 fits against and con- 55 forms to the configuration of the heel portion of the shoe and is adapted to resist any tendency of the heel supporting form to rock on the shoe particularly in a direction laterally'ther eof. It will of course be understood that a separate welt 60 supporting form will be provided for each different length of shoe.

W What is claimed is 7 -1. A welt-supporting form consisting of a continuous single piece band of metal of a shape'to 65 conform toan'd extend substantially entirely around a shoe and having terminal portions located at the heel portion of the shoe, said band being provided at one of its longitudinal edges with an inwardly extending marginal projecting I0 portion arranged to extend into the crease formed by the welt and the adjacent portion of the shoe and forming a continuation of the surface at the said edge of the welt supporting form to provide a relatively wide surface for supporting the projecting portion of the welt of the shoe, said welt supporting form being provided at its inner side with a laterally inclined intermediate curved portion located at the instep of the shoe, a substantially straight bridge member extending longitudinally of the said inner side of the welt supporting form and secured at its terminals to the same at the ends of the said curved intermediate portion and arranged at a lateral inclination, a strut located centrally of the bridge member and the said intermediate curved portion of the form and secured to the same and connecting the bridge member between its ends with the said curved portion at substantially the center thereof, and means for connecting the rear terminals of the said band for maintaining the welt supporting form in clamping engagement with the shoe.

2. A welt supporting form consisting of a continuous single piece band of metal of a shape to conform to and extend substantially entirely around a shoe and having terminal portions located at the heel portion of the shoe, said band being provided at one of its longitudinal edges with an inwardly extending marginal projecting portion arranged to extend into the crease formed by the welt and the adjacent portion of the shoe and forming a continuation of the surface at the said edge of the welt supporting form to provide a relatively wide surface for supporting the projecting portion of the welt of the shoe, said welt supporting form being provided at its outer side with an inwardly curved intermediate portion, a substantially straight longitudinally disposed bridge member arranged exteriorly of the outer side of the said form and secured at its ends to the said outer side at the terminals of the intermediate curved portion thereof, a strut arranged between the bridge member and the intermediate curved portion and secured to the same substantially centrally thereof, and means for connecting the rear terminals of the said band for holding the welt supporting form in clamping engagement with the shoe.

3. A welt supporting form consisting of a continuous single piece band of metal of a shape to conform to and extend substantially entirely around a shoe and having terminal portions 10-- cated at the heel portion of the shoe, said band being provided at one of .its longitudinal edges with an inwardly extending marginal projecting portion arranged to extend into the crease formed by the welt and the adjacent portion of the shoe and forming a continuation of the surface at the said edge of the welt supporting form to provide a relatively wide surface for supporting the projecting portion of the welt of the shoe, said welt supporting form being provided at its inner and outer sides with intermediate inwardly extending curved portions, the curved portion of the inner side being set at an inclination, substantially straight exteriorly arranged bridge members bridging the intermediate curved portions of the inner and outer sides of the welt supporting form and secured to the said sides, the bridge member at the inner side being arranged at an inclination, an inclined strut connecting the inner bridge member with the intermediate curved portion of the inner side of the form and secured to the latter and to the bridge member, a strut interposed between the outer bridge member and the intermediate curved portion of the outer side of the form and secured to the same, and means located at the rear end of the form for connecting the terminals of the band for holding the form in clamping engagement with the shoe.

4. A welt supporting form consisting of a continuous single piece band of metal of a shape to conform to and extend substantially entirely around a shoe and having one of its edges arranged to extend into the crease formed by the projecting portion of the welt of the shoe and adapted to support the said projecting portion of the welt while an outer sole is cemented to the shoe and the welt, said band having its terminals located at the heel portion of the shoe, means for adjustably connecting the said terminals for maintaining the welt supporting form in clamping engagement with the shoe, and a curved shoe engaging member rigid with and carried by the welt supporting form and extending therefrom perpendicular thereto and arranged to fit against the shoe at the heel portion thereof.

5. A welt supporting form consisting of a continuous single piece band of metal of a shape to conform to and extend substantially entirely around a shoe and having one of its edges arranged to extend into the crease formed by the minals located at the heel portion of the shoe,

means for adjustably connecting the said terminals for maintaining the welt supporting form in clamping engagement with the shoe, and a curved shoe engaging member secured to the band at one of the terminals thereof and overlapping theother terminal'and arranged to fit against the heel portion of the shoe.

6. A welt supporting form of a shape to conform to and extend substantially around a shoe and having terminal portions located at the heel portion of the shoe, a latch for connecting the said terminal portions of the welt supporting form comprising a yoke pivoted to one of the said terminals and arranged to swing into and out of engagement with the other terminal, and a shoe engaging member secured to the band at one of the terminals thereof and overlapping the Other terminal and arranged to fit against the heel portion of the shoe.

'7. A welt supporting form of a shape to conform to and extend substantially around a shoe and having terminal portions located at the heel portion of the shoe, a latch for connecting the said terminal portions of the welt supporting form comprising a yoke pivoted to one of the said terminals and arranged to swing into and out of engagement with the other terminal and provided at its free side with a clamping screw for engaging the adjacent terminal portion of the said form for holding the latter in clamping engagement with the shoe, and a shoe engaging member secured to the band at one of the terminals thereof and overlapping the other terminal and arranged to fit against the heel portion of the shoe.

8. A welt supporting form of a shape to conform to and extend substantially around a shoe and having terminal portions located at the heel portion of the shoe and provided with projecting lugs, a latch pivoted to one of the lugs and arranged to swing into and out of engagement with the other lug and provided at its free side with a clamping screw arranged to engage the adjacent lug when the latch is in its locking position whereby the form may be maintained as tightly as desired in clamping engagement with the shoe, and a shoe engaging member secured to the band at one of the terminals thereof and overlapping the other terminal and arranged to fit against the heel portion of the shoe, said heel engaging member being arranged within said latching means.

9. A welt supporting and upper protecting device for use in cementing and pressure applying a shoe sole upon a welted last, consisting of a flat metallic band in a single piece adapted to be disposed flatwise against the shoe upper on a last and in a continuous unbroken line around the toe and sides of the last including the side portions thereof, said band being of a thickness which when applied to the lasted upper positions the outer surface of the band approximately flush with the outer edge of a welt attached to the inturned lower edge of the lasted upper, said band also having spaced-apart terminals at the heel portion of the shoe last and having bridge pieces along its sides spanning the incurved arch por- .tions and struts connecting the bridge pieces with the said arch-portions of the band, said band having an inwardly projecting lip at its lower welt engaging edge along its toe and sides and also along its arch portions, the lip being capaf 'ble of extending into the space between the welt and the adjacent inturned edge of the upper and resting upon the latter and the marginal edge of the last to seat, and immovably support, the band in self-sustaining relation during the pressure application of a cemented shoe sole, the

- said lip extending inwardly laterally with respect to the lower welt engaging edge of the band and forming with said edge a welt supporting surface of substantially greater width than the thick- 

